Easy Homemade Christmas Gift Ideas

Here are a few homemade Christmas gift ideas to consider If, you are exchanging gifts, but short on money. Too often we spend lots of money on a store bought gifts, for people don't like the gift, you got the wrong size or ends up being re-gifted.

Not to mention the traffic and crowds during the holiday season. There is something very special about the personal touch of taking time to make a gift. Homemade gifts show, ingenuity and are more personal, because they are usually prepared with love.

Canning

Canning can be done anytime, but most people like to put up their preserves in the fall months. Now is a great time to start canning for the holidays. People truly enjoy knowing you made something special just for them. It adds a personal touch and will definitely be used by the receiver.

If you have a garden, fruit tree or just love canning. This is a perfect homemade Christmas gift. Stewed tomatoes, jams, fruit or pickles are a great idea. Wrap the jars with an attractive ribbon and give one jar of fruit and one vegetable. Make a batch large enough to give out to co-workers, friends and family.

Make a Video from Pictures

Making a lifetime video for your parent or friends, will bring great joy to them. Gather photos of special times and activities of you and them, over the years and scan each photo to your computer.

Use any photo software to copy the photos, and make a movie in chronological order showing their live, having fun, having babies, raising the kids, an even a sad occasion reverently honoring someone no long here.

One option is to burn it onto a CD. Another way to go is, to make them a star, by posting their life montage on Youtube. (private of course) Windows Live Movie Maker is great to use and comes with most computers. This beats going through a picture album any day!

Do you Make Homemade Christmas Gifts?

Make a Donation in their Name

This is a wonderful idea, especially for someone who really understands the meaning of Christmas is giving. There are many organization that offer the option of donating money in honor of someone living or deceased. Give to their favorite foundation or charity.

If they do not have one, Samaritian's Purse is a great organization where you can donate, to a family, by purchasing a goat, or the Christmas charity, Operation Christmas Child, where gift shoe boxes are distributed to children all over the world.

Your gifts will go to supporting wounded veterans, buying blankets, chickens, mosquito nets, bikes for missionaries, to helping build schools and homes and so much more. You choose the gift you want to donate, or where it is most needed. Check out Free Toys for Christmas!

Crochette a Scalf

Crocheting a scarf is a great gift idea. Even for the beginner, crocheting is a very do-able project. How much yarn you need, will depend on the length of the scarf you want to make and the size of the needle you will be using. Usually 3 - 31/2 skeins will be enough.

If you make it a mother and daughter/s project, it will be a bonding experience, as well! Or have you little helpers make the yarn into a ball for you.

Gift Baskets

Gift basket don't have you cost a fortune, if you know where to look. Go to any craft store and purchase colored cellophane, ribbon and baskets. You can add anything your desire, such as special soaps, sponges, and pedicure products.

Choose a theme and go with it. Get inexpensive items from the dollar store and have a ball. They will never know you did not spend 50 or 60 dollars for their gift.

Source

Do-it-yourself Fish Tank

Most kids love tropical or gold fish. I had a tank when I was a kid and enjoyed hours of fun and education. Give a fish tank kit in a way the child will create the environment they want for the fish as well as the fish they want.

This gift will not be expensive, and the child will have the enjoyment of putting it together themselves. Wrap each item for the tank, to make it seem like several gifts. Give a coupon to purchase the fish. Imagine the excitement when he or she goes to the pet shop to pick out the fish they want.

What you will need:

Small tank (5-gallon, or gold fish bowl)

Gravel

Plastic plants

Coupon to buy fish

Crafting Supplies

Baking Cookies

Baking cookies, is a classic idea for a Christmas gift. Making cookies from scratch is pretty easy. It is also I nice touch, that can gain you bragging rights! If you don't have a family recipe, there are many cooking sites where you can find great cookie ideas. Add nuts, cherries or icing, to give them a festive appearance.

It is also a project, you can do with the kids for loads of holiday fun. You can find, tins, wax paper, and bows at the dollar stores. Make three or four varieties, and separate each with wax paper. If you do not bake, or don't have time to make cookies by scratch, you can find cook dough at the market, or a cookie mix, for easy baking.

Personalized Christmas Stocking

Not only children love Christmas Stockings, adults do too. You can make one for each member of the family. With some glue and glitter, write the name of each person receiving one.

Specialize it, by putting the persons favorite candies and treats in it. For the children, you can get little toys from the dollar store.

Also add other items, like hand sanitizer, breath mints, batteries, oranges, or whatever you think will compliment the gift. This gift will be used all through the holiday, until everything is gone.

It's fun to watch everyone exchange items from their stocking. You can't miss with this idea.

Comments

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AUTHOR

Pamela Lipscomb

3 years agofrom Charlotte, North Carolina

I love canned food. One year someone from the church gave our jams and jellies! Yum

peachy

3 years agofrom Home Sweet Home

canning food and gift baskets are the best gifts

AUTHOR

Pamela Lipscomb

4 years agofrom Charlotte, North Carolina

I really enjoy sugar cookies too. They are so simple to make and decorate for holiday themes!

Fiona

4 years agofrom South Africa

Think I'll try the sugar cookies - i have a set of edible ink pens that i have been itching to try out.

AUTHOR

Pamela Lipscomb

4 years agofrom Charlotte, North Carolina

billybuc thanks. You are also right about putting your seasonals out a few months months before people are looking or them.

Bill Holland

4 years agofrom Olympia, WA

The best part about this article is the fact that you posted it months in advance. I've been trying to drill this into the heads of writers, but few listen. Well done and I'm sure you'll reap the benefits of this come early December.

Tammy

5 years agofrom USA

Great ideas here! I decided to hand make our gifts this year. Since everyone in our family was on a tight budget, we made the rule that the gifts couldn't be over $5.00 for those that wanted to buy one, or they had the option of making a gift. My adult children loved it since I made them each a care package with the traditional ornaments, home made goodies, and a cookbook to start their own traditions.

My grandmother use to start in July buying gifts for everyone. It amazed me how she could be done Christmas shopping by Thanksgiving. Great job!

Stanley Soman

5 years agofrom New York

I really appreciated this article. So many ideas thank you!

AUTHOR

Pamela Lipscomb

5 years agofrom Charlotte, North Carolina

mijo, it was the same for me. My Mom started laying away toys in June. Never had a clue we were poor, because we had great Christmas'!

mizjo

5 years agofrom New York City, NY

Terrific idea, especially now so many people have no jobs or are retired.

I remember in my childhood, nobody had any money to speak of, but Christmas always was a time of giving, so we used to make and embroider pillow cases or bake some cookies for favorite relatives. Good old times we should go back to. Also fosters a closer sense of community.

AUTHOR

Pamela Lipscomb

5 years agofrom Charlotte, North Carolina

teaches12345, thanks for your comment. I love to get home baked cookies!

Dianna Mendez

5 years ago

This is all wonderful. I enjoy homemade gifts myself. The time and effort people into them is priceless, but the thoughts is eternal. Voted up.

Gypsy48

5 years ago

Thanks for this tips. I like the gift basket idea and I will be baking cookies this year :)

AUTHOR

Pamela Lipscomb

5 years agofrom Charlotte, North Carolina

miakouna, thanks for taking time to comment. It's nice when you can do something special for people!

miakouna

5 years ago

This is a great article. Thanks for sharing. I give homemade gifts because they are personal and from the heart. Great ideas.

AUTHOR

Pamela Lipscomb

5 years agofrom Charlotte, North Carolina

carol, homemade gifts do take extra time. That makes them all the more special! Thanks for stopping by!

AUTHOR

Pamela Lipscomb

5 years agofrom Charlotte, North Carolina

faythef, I think I will try cookies this year! Thanks!

Faythe Payne

5 years agofrom USA

Very good ideas.I voted up an have just become your newest follower..I sure will be incorporated some of these..thank you.

carol stanley

5 years agofrom Arizona

Some really good ideas here. People do love getting homemade gifts. A little effort for sure. How nice to save some money also. Voting UP+++

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